Keeping Your Cast Iron Seasoned Is Easier Than You Think. Here Are 2 Ways To Do It

Cast iron cookware is the key to crispy casseroles and a good seared steak, but these culinary successes don't come easily. Other pots and pans come with the same intuitive set of instructions for cooking and cleaning, but a cast iron requires some attention. Namely, whether it's old or new, you need to know how to season a cast iron pan. The idea of seasoning a pan might sound foreign to some, but if you want to have one of these in your toolkit, it's an essential piece of knowledge.

Seasoning cast iron protects the delicate surface, keeping it from rusting and your food from sticking. Before you worry about the process ahead, don't — keeping this cookware seasoned is easier than you think. As you cook in cast iron, the pan builds up layers of oil. While most recipes reinforce that protective coating, cooking especially acidic foods or scrubbing the pan with abrasive materials can wear it down. If your pan looks dry or is starting to rust, here are two easy ways to season it and bring it back to life.

Between uses, gently scrub your cast iron pan with hot water to get rid of any grime. Still, if any food is really stuck on, clean it with soap and water instead. After cleaning, pat dry, then add a dollop of oil to a paper towel and rub it over the front and back of your pan. After this step, it's time to lock all that fat inside.

Start by placing your pan in the oven upside down. Laying it this way helps prevent excess oil from sticking to the bottom of the pan, which can affect the flavor of the dishes you cook. It also prevents the lines from your oven rack from baking into the bottom of the pan. To avoid a mess, make sure to leave a baking sheet beneath your pan while it cooks. The best temperature for seasoning your cast iron skillet is between 450 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake it at high heat for an hour. Once done, let it cool, then store as usual. That's really all there is to it.

Cleaning and seasoning your cast iron is something you can do as needed (or a couple of times a year). In the meantime, keep on cooking to help its protective layers grow. Acidic ingredients or harsh cleansers can wear down a cast iron, but if you cook with it consistently, it re-seasons itself.

If your pan is looking dry, cook greasy foods inside to add more layers of oil to the pan. This helps extend the time you have between seasonings. Caramelizing onions is a great choice for this job, as is frying chicken or fish. Just remember to keep the pan hot to keep food from sticking to the pan. If you forget, just rinse and repeat.